1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to freight pallets, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved freight pallet formed from a plurality of identical interlocking construction units. The standard industry freight pallet is formed from a plurality of wooden boards which are nailed together to form a four foot by four foot pallet. While inexpensive, these pallets are not exceedingly strong or durable. Additionally, many industrial users require specific pallet configurations for packing and transporting irregularly configured products. The conventional forms of pallets are not easily altered to meet these requirements. In order to overcome these problems, the present invention provides a freight pallet formed from a plurality of molded plastic construction units which may be assembled in a wide variety of configurations to meet the specific requirements of an individual user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of freight pallets are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a freight pallet is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,225, which issued to B. Ball on Mar. 21, 1972. This patent discloses a pallet constructed from a plurality of blocked units non-rotatably connected together to form a rigid pallet platform surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,769, which issued to L. Foley on Mar. 28, 1972, discloses a set of pallet-forming members which may be assembled to form a wide variety of pallet sizes and configurations. The pallet construction members are elongated and provided with a plurality of apertures adapted to be disposed in alignment and secured by connecting pin members. U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,769, which issued to G. Fengels on June 20, 1978, discloses a freight pallet including a core sandwiched between a pair of cover plates with the edges of the core enclosed by a shoulder strip extending around the periphery of the core and extending between the cover plates and forming at least four edges of the pallet. A plurality of openings are formed through the pallet edges communicating with an internal connecting member within the core. A plurality of connecting members are provided, and are removably insertable into the shoulder strip openings for joining a pair of pallets together.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices disclose a pallet formed from a plurality of identical interlocking construction units, each including a square thin support plate having a projecting rib extending along each of a first pair of adjacent perpendicular side edges and a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second pair of adjacent perpendicular side edges. Additional features of the present invention, not disclosed by the aforesaid prior art devices include the use of mating trapezoidal projecting ribs and complementary grooves extending along opposite side edges of a pallet construction unit and adapted for adhesive securement or thermoplastic bonding with an adjacent unit. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of freight pallets, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such freight pallets, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.